Hilo is a town on the Big Island of Hawaii. The county seat and largest city in Hawaii County, Hilo is one of the best starting points to explore the eastern half of the island, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Although the largest city on the Big Island, Hilo has a small population (44,186 in the 2020 Census) and a relaxed pace of life. It is on the rainier, less touristy east side of the island, and the city itself is not a huge draw for tourists, although there is an excellent farmers' and craftsmen's market on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to the attractions within city limits, there is good snorkeling nearby, extremely lush botanic gardens in the area and Volcanoes National Park is a splendid day trip. Hilo has a warm, somewhat muggy tropical climate with over 100 inches of rain a year, making it the rainiest town in the United States outside of Alaska.
Many of Hilo's points of interest are concentrated in quite a small area in the western end of Kamehameha Avenue. There you can get around by foot easily. However, some natural attractions, beaches and shops are a mile or more away from there. The county's Hele-On Bus system ($2 fare) serve Hilo International Airport eight times per day (except on Sunday). However, virtually all visitors rent a vehicle from one of the many rental agencies upon arriving at Hilo International Airport. It's a good idea to make car reservations in advance, as special events or active conditions at the Volcanoes National Park can quickly deplete the supply of available vehicles.
1 Pacific Tsunami Museum, 130 Kamehameha Ave, ☏ +1 808 935-0926, fax: +1 808 935-0842, tsunami@tsunami.org. Weekends 10AM-2PM. Serves as a living memorial, and a reminder for a generation yet to experience such fright. A tsunami, Japanese for "harbor waves" are a fact of life in Hawaii, especially Hilo. On 1 April 1946, and 23 May 1960, Hilo suffered devastating tsunamis that reshaped its social and economic structure. $15/adult, $10/concession, $5/child, under 5 free. (updated Apr 2025) 2 The Lyman House Museum, 276 Haili St, ☏ +1 808 935-5021. Mon-Sat 10AM-4:30PM. This museum features a restored missionary house.
Many of the activities that are available are strictly daytime, and focus on the ocean. Surf culture is big, and boards may be rented from 1 Orchidland Surf, located in the Bayfront district. Stan, the owner, will be happy to fill you in on where to go as well as the current conditions. 2 Richardson's Ocean Park (at the end of Kalanianaole (Highway 19)). This is a popular spot for family cookouts, and has occasional waves. Snorkeling is a popular activity here. You can also find people relaxing on the beach or in the grass reading and visiting. 3 Four Mile. A popular swimming spot, also located on Kalanianaole, before you get to Richardson's.
Hilo is known for its locally-made ice cream. It's some of the best on earth and can be found several places, including Hilo Homemade Ice Cream downtown at 41 Waianuenue Avenue. The Hilo Farmer's Market, on the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Mamo Street, has lots of cheap eats. If you love tropical fruit, this is the place to go. There's a great tamale stand in the west corner of the market serving very tasty $2 tamales. Market open daily 7AM to 5PM, with extended hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The small town of Pahoa offers The Pahoa Market, which is a flea market open on Sundays and has more prepared food.
Hilo is a small town, and as such, there is not a lot of public drinking to be done. Despite a very lackluster nightlife, almost every bar has a cover charge. Still, there are a few places to wet your whistle, and maybe catch a live act. 1 Detour, 124 Makaala St. A relatively new bar catering mostly to an Asian/Hawaiian clientèle. There is a dance floor with music supplied by a house PA system, there is no DJ. There is a bar/lounge area with pool tables, darts, TV's and sofas and a separate dance floor area. Fights tend to be common here also. On weekends there is typically a $7 cover charge. 2 Cronies, 11 Waianuenue Ave (downtown cnr of Waianuenue and Kamehameha). Until 9PM.
Hilo is generally quite safe. There are usually homeless people loitering around public parks and sometimes they can be a little eccentric, so keep your distance. If an earthquake were to strike and a tsunami warning were issued, if you are at the beach, there would be tsunami evacuation signs to guide you to a safe distance.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Nov, Hilo typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 23 rainy days.
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